Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $70,107.62 in federal funding for Chautauqua Children's Safety Education Village, Inc. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and will be used to provide fire safety training for children aged 4-12 and other community members in Chautauqua and Erie counties. The funding will also be used to provide smoke alarms to the community.

“Whether it’s a fire or any other emergency, our first responders and local heroes in Western New York depend on order and people following safety protocol to do their job effectively,” said Senator Schumer. “With this federal funding, the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village will be able to educate the local youth on what to do in an emergency, better promoting the safety of everyone. I’m proud to announce this federal investment and will continue fighting to make sure our communities Upstate have the resources they need to protect their residents from harm when disaster strikes.”

“Our communities are safer when everyone is prepared for an emergency. With this federal investment, Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village will be able to teach children across Chautauqua and Erie counties about fire safety procedures, and also offer smoke alarms to members in the community who need them,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will do everything I can in the Senate to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to be safe.”

“These funds are crucial to the Children’s Safety Village programming. They will be used to teach children how to react in a fire emergency, teach CPR to the community and will provide free smoke alarms and installations to those who need them. We feel so fortunate to be the recipients of this grant as it will help us further our mission of reducing the number of unintentional injuries and unfortunate fatalities within our County,”said Jessica Dayton, Executive Director, Chautauqua Children's Safety Education Village, Inc.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the Department’s United States Fire Administration. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis to the applicants that most closely address the program’s priorities and demonstrate financial need. The funding will be used to support the operations and safety of fire departments, which could include providing professional training, purchasing wellness programs equipment and personal protective equipment, and upgrading facilities and supplies. More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program can be found here.